This is a dangerous time to be a conservative. More than ever. Not life threatening, but in a forum where thoughts and ideas generally run free, sites like Google, Apple, and Amazon have taken it upon themselves to use their brand power to silence many conservatives out there.
First, it was Trump
It seemingly started with Twitter making a bold statement and permanently banning Donald Trump. And while a lot of people feel that “The Donald” needed to be muzzled with his comments, the move has raised some eyebrows.
The Shakedown of Parler
Next (more to why I’m writing this), both Google and Apple have removed the social media app Parler from their respective app stores. For a while, it seemed as if users could still access the site via the web. Then Amazon stepped in and drove the proverbial nail into the service. Can the social media platform rebound from the trifecta takedown? That remains to be seen.
Next, Ron Paul?
And then there was another “mild” takedown of sorts when Facebook decided to limit political pundit Ron Paul’s page.
Post Election Ramp Up
And all of this seems to be happening only a few months after the election, with just days before the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden. The Democrats will have control of the White House and as well as both sides of Congress. So why now? What is there to gain in attempting to silencing differentiating voices?
We Need More (Not Less) Voices
It seems as if it’s not enough to just take control of the executive and legislative branches. The left is on an all-out attack for any idea that is not their own. And this is flat out wrong! We should not be silencing thoughts or opinions, no matter how uncomfortable they are. This country was built on the concept of expressing ideas and exercising personal beliefs. When you silence any of it, you start a downward spiral into outright censorship.
The First Amendment guarantees us the right to free speech, but not to being heard. And yet the problem is that some folks want to do the latter. We should be defending the rights of all to speak or say what’s on his/her mind. It’s in expressing those views that we can learn and grow together.
Defend Those You Disagree With
I personally feel that I grow when I hear others’ opinions that I don’t agree with. It’s when we work to discuss our differences that we can understand one another. We also can see a different point of view. And sometimes, it takes hearing an opposing view point to make you think about what you really think or feel. You can’t do that if there is no opposing viewpoint to hear.
That is why this conservative witch hunt feels so personal to me.
I will defend your right to think and say what you want. All I ask is that you do the same for me. That is what we should be willing to do for one another. This country is supposed to be the land of the free, and we must continually work to preserve that motto.
You may not like Trump, Ron Paul, Rachel Maddow, or whoever out there, but we all should step up and call out any and all that work to silence opinions. Sadly, that is not happening.
The Challenge
Right here and now, I extend a challenge to my conservative and liberal friends to work together and right the wrongs of censorship, when and where it happens. It can’t just happen under vague “violations.” We need to make it plain and clear that censorship is wrong.
But once again, this is just my opinion. Take it or leave it.